It is no coincidence that tree chickens or crucians got their name; the fact is that these birds, unlike other chickens, nest only in trees.

The size of the birds ranges from 20 to 40 centimeters. The body is dense, the legs are strong, and the head is decorated with a tuft of feathers.

The colored skin on the sides of the head and around the eyes is devoid of feathers. Birds live only in tropical forests. The crax family (Cracidae) consists of 11 genera, which include 38 species. They inhabit the territory from Texas to Argentina. Birds hide in the dense crowns of trees, they deftly run along the branches, and occasionally fly over. From the top of trees, birds glide with short, rounded wings and land on the lower branches. This top-down flight requires little effort for the gokko. But in order to fly up, a tree chicken has to put in a lot of effort; it’s easier to run up the branches and get to the top of the tree.

Craxes also nest in trees; the clutch contains 2-3 white eggs, covered with a porous, rough shell. Penelope's egg shell is smooth and shiny. Incubation lasts 22-30 days. The chicks are covered with dense down and are already able to follow their parents by 3-4 days. They wander behind them, briskly moving from branch to branch. Adult birds feed the chicks for several days and then lose interest in their offspring. At first, the entire brood stays together, then, together with other birds, it unites into a flock of up to 20 individuals. During the breeding season, pairs are formed; after the chicks hatch, gokkos lead a gregarious life.

Listen to the voice of gokko

Tree chickens feed on plant foods, fruits, and seeds. But the chicks are fed worms, insects, and larvae, which is probably why they grow quickly. They find food in the ground, raking the forest floor with their strong legs. In case of danger, they hide in the dense crown of trees. Roosting places are also arranged on branches. The most impressive of the tree chickens is the great gokko (Crax rubra). Its size corresponds to its name; this bird is the largest among the tree chickens. It slightly resembles a turkey, although in the weight category it is inferior to poultry.

Males are covered with black feathers, the undertail and belly are white. At the base of the yellow beak there is a fleshy growth also of a yellowish tint. The head is decorated with a tuft of curved feathers. The eyes are surrounded by bare, dark-colored skin. Females are smaller than males. The color of the plumage is more modest, in brownish-brown tones, the neck is covered with feathers with dirty white streaks.

The large gokko lives in the tropical forests of southern Mexico, the border of its range extends to southern Ecuador. Gokko has tasty and tender meat, so locals organize bird hunting. Tree chickens tolerate captivity well and get along well with domestic animals. Taming them doesn't cause any problems. Another interesting species of the Crax family is the crested gokko (Craх elector). The bird is smaller in size than the large gokko. The dense body rests on strong legs and long toes. The wings are short and rounded. The tail is a magnificent decoration, it is long and formed by beautifully curved feathers. On the head there is a large curled crest formed by semi-vertically standing feathers. The beak has a wax.

The male gokko is a real beauty, his bluish-black feather cover has a purple tint, only the ends of the wings and belly are set off by white feathers. The caller's legs are red. The female is covered with rusty red feathers, has white streaks on her crest, and her wings are trimmed with yellow wavy stripes. Like all craxes, the crested gokko lives in trees, moving along branches. When it descends to the ground, it runs along it quite quickly. It flies low, usually in a horizontal direction, and the flight is short.

The habitat is associated with the tropical forests of the Amazon basin. The mating season begins in January and lasts for a long time. The nest, in the form of a flat structure made of branches, appears in March. The female lays 2 white eggs and incubates for a month. Chicks leave their home only after learning to fly. Adult birds feed their offspring with insects, their larvae, and worms.

The matured chicks, together with their parents, wander through the trees. Gockos are not only herbivorous birds, they also eat small animals. Like all tree chickens, gokko are of interest as an object of hunting, which negatively affects the numbers of these birds.

Penelopes are smaller in size than gokkos, but have a slender body. The black plumage has an olive-brownish tint, wings with a wide white stripe. An interesting crest adorns the bird’s head; the feathers in it look more like fluffy threads. The sides of the head, the base of the beak and the chin are dirty blue. The species' distribution area stretches from Mexico to Argentina.

The smallest among tree chickens are chachalaks. The bird's physique is slender and graceful. The plumage is greenish-brown in color, the long tail is formed by red feathers. The crest is missing. Chachalaks live on the outskirts of forests, choosing small edges and clearings for feeding. Nests are located at a small height from the ground surface. The number of some species of tree chickens is in danger of extinction. Eight species of gokko are listed in the International Red Book.

The red-billed crux is of particular concern; according to unverified data, only about 200 individuals remain in the wild. The population of these birds exists only in Brazil in the state of Espirito Santo. Blue-billed Crax – even more rare bird, its presence has been noted in Colombia along the Magdelena River. The number of helmeted gokko also causes concern among ornithologists. There is still much that is unclear in the biology of these birds.

It is known that these birds are covered with black and white plumage and have a blue helmet-shaped outgrowth above the red beak. For a long time, the sharp-billed crax mitu was considered extinct. But in 1951, a small flock of 20 chickens was discovered in Brazil in the state of Alagoas. But reliable information about it currently does not exist. This species lives only in the zoo.

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Turkey meat is tender, juicy and tasty. This is an extremely healthy dietary meat. Turkey meat is available fresh and frozen. Adults can reach a weight of up to 35 kilograms, but they eat meat from young turkeys up to 16 weeks of age, with carcass weight reaching 10 kilograms.

Turkey thigh and drumstick are considered red meat. The protein myoglobin, which contains oxygen in muscle tissue, is responsible for the color of meat. The more myoglobin, the darker the meat. The amount of this protein depends on the load on the muscles, which is why the meat of the thigh and drumstick is red, since the load on the muscles is greater. Turkey breast and wings are white meats.

Turkey meat contains a very small amount of fat, in addition, it has little cholesterol, only 74 milligrams per 100 grams of meat. Turkey meat contains amino acids necessary for our body, which provide the body with energy. Phosphorus, the source of which is turkey meat, is necessary for the normal development of bones and teeth.

In modern poultry farming, the production of turkey meat ranks second after broiler chickens. The United States is the leader in turkey production. On average, each US resident consumes 7 kilograms of turkey meat per year.

Turkey taste

White turkey meat (breast, wings) has a delicate, slightly sweet taste, but slightly dry, as it contains almost no fat. Red meat (thigh, drumstick) is also tender in taste, but less dry.

Combining turkey with other foods

Turkey meat goes well with vegetables, cereals, and pasta. Turkey goes well with mushrooms and liver.

Using turkey in cooking

Turkey meat is used to make sausages, frankfurters, and dumplings. Turkey meat is used to make cutlets and pie fillings. In Great Britain, turkey is stuffed with chestnuts, mushrooms, and supplemented with redcurrant and gooseberry jelly. In Italy, turkey is stuffed with oranges.

Features of cooking turkey

Turkey meat can be fried, stewed, boiled, baked, or steamed.

Turkey storage

Fresh turkey should be refrigerated (not frozen) and should be cooked within 2 days. If the turkey has not been used for cooking within two days, it must be frozen. Keep in mind that a turkey frozen at home may spoil faster than one that was frozen by the turkey meat manufacturer.

The shelf life of turkey frozen by the manufacturer is 1 year, subject to storage conditions. Defrosting and re-freezing is not allowed.

Traditional role in dishes

Main course of turkey meat, base for broths

Acceptable Substitutions

Turkey meat can be replaced with the meat of another bird: chicken, goose, duck, pheasant, even ostrich. Note that ostrich meat is also low in cholesterol.

History of the origin of the turkey

Turkey came to us from North America. At the beginning of the first millennium AD, the Indians began to domesticate these large birds with beautiful iridescent plumage. These birds began to play big role In the everyday life and economy of Indian tribes, the tender meat of these birds was their favorite dish. Aliens who arrived from Europe dubbed these birds turkeys. Turkey also became a favorite among settlers and a traditional Thanksgiving dish.

Several of these birds were brought to Europe, and by the beginning of the 16th century, turkeys were already being raised in France, Italy, and England.

Effect on the human body, beneficial substances

Turkey meat has very little cholesterol, only 74 mg per 100 grams. Due to the low content of insoluble fats, turkey meat is easily absorbed by the body, and turkey meat proteins are absorbed by 95%. Therefore, turkey meat gives a quick feeling of fullness.

Turkey meat, although low in calories, is very nutritious. Turkey meat is a record holder for iron content: 2.24 grams per 100 grams of meat, and iron from turkey meat is very easily absorbed. In addition, this meat contains selenium, magnesium, potassium, vitamins: PP, B6, B12, B2. B, and phosphorus - the same as in fish.

Interesting facts about turkey

The record weight of a baked turkey is 39.09 kilograms. This dish was prepared on December 12, 1989.

How many turkeys are eaten on Thanksgiving?

Almost one turkey for every person in the United States is raised each year for Thanksgiving.

Tree chickens, gokko, or crax, biologically differ well from other representatives of the gallinaceae order in that they make nests in trees. These are large birds: their body length from the end of the beak to the end of the tail ranges from 20 cm in the smallest species to 40 cm in the largest. Craxes have a dense body, strong legs, and a long, stepped tail. Many species have a well-developed crest on the head. On the sides of the head, and sometimes just around the eyes, there are bare patches of skin of different colors.

Krux- forest birds. They build their simple nests almost exclusively in trees, less often on large bushes, and lay only 2, some species 3, eggs in them. The eggs are large, white in color, their shell is rough, porous, only the penelope eggs are smooth and shiny. The female incubates mainly for 22-29 days. The chicks hatch covered in down, develop extremely quickly and soon fly out of the nests, switching to a terrestrial lifestyle.

Tree chickens feed mainly on fruits that they collect on trees. The largest species - gokko - often feed on the ground on insects, worms, and also consume plant foods. In case of alarm, tree chickens fly up into trees, and they also spend the night in trees.

The family includes 38 species, grouped into 11 genera, distributed in tropical and subtropical parts of America from Texas in the north to Argentina in the south.

The largest representative of the family is big gokko(Car rubra). It is similar in size to a turkey, although it weighs a little less. The plumage of males is black, only the belly and undertail are white. The base of the beak is yellow and there is a fleshy yellow growth at the base of the beak. On the head there is a crest of a large number of feathers curved at the end. There is a dark area of ​​bare skin around the eye. Females of the greater gokko are slightly smaller than males. They are brownish-brown with a striated tail. Their head and neck are spotted with brown, off-white spots. The crest on the head is less developed.

The Greater Gocco is quite common in the forests of southern Mexico and in places further south to Ecuador. It, like other gokko, has excellent tasting meat, somewhat reminiscent of turkey meat, but more tender. Gokko is easily tamed and, living peacefully with other inhabitants of the poultry yard, does not cause much trouble to the owners.

Crested gokko(C. alector) is a large bird, almost the size of a turkey. Like other relatives, its legs are strong, of moderate height and with rather long toes, its wings are short, its tail is long, well developed and rounded. The beak has a cere, and on the head there is a large crest of semi-vertically standing curled feathers.

The color of the male's plumage is shiny bluish-black with a purple tint on the upper side and only the belly and ends of the tail feathers are white. Legs are red. The female differs from the male in having white streaks on her crest, a rusty-red belly and wings with yellow wavy stripes.

In terms of lifestyle, the crested gokko is an arboreal bird, spending most of its life among tall trees. He moves along the branches slowly, but quite confidently. It often descends to the ground, where it runs very quickly. It usually flies low, in a horizontal direction, and for a short time.

The crested gokko is widespread in South America, in the tropical forests of the Amazon basin.

In January, males begin to court females, and the mating season extends for quite a long time. In March, nests appear, which are arranged high in the trees in the form of a flat flooring of branches. The clutch contains two white eggs, larger than chicken eggs. Incubation lasts about a month. Unlike other chickens that nest on the ground, hatched chicks do not leave the nest. Their parents feed them worms, insects and other invertebrate animals. The chicks leave the nest after they learn to fly. From this time on, the brood begins to wander around the near and far surroundings of the nest in search of mature fruits, which it mainly feeds on.

The crested gokko has a mixed diet. It eats both plant foods - fruits and seeds, and animals - worms, insects and other small animals.

The crested gokko has tasty meat and is hunted intensively by locals.

Penelope(Penelopa purpurascens) is a large bird, but smaller and slimmer than the gokko. Penelope's plumage is not pure black, but has a brownish-olive tint, her belly is the same color as the rest of her plumage. A wide white stripe runs across the wing. The crest is white, and the feathers of the crest are narrow, almost hair-like. The sides of the head and chin are devoid of feathers, bare, and dirty bluish in color. The base of the beak is the same color. The protrusion at the base of the beak is small.

Penelopes inhabit the forests of America from Mexico to Argentina. They always make their nests high from the ground, at about 10 le, and stay mainly on the tops of trees. Outside the nesting period they live in flocks, sometimes very large.

The smallest tree chickens belong to the genus chachalak(Ortalis). These are quite slender, graceful birds with a long tail. There is no crest on the head. Their plumage is generally brownish-green, the throat is unfeathered, and in many species the tail is red.

Chacha laki are less forest birds than their other relatives. They stick to small forests, mainly their edges, and are often found in clearings. Nests are made low above the ground, sometimes almost close to it.

Animal life: in 6 volumes. - M.: Enlightenment. Edited by professors N.A. Gladkov, A.V. Mikheev. 1970 .

The first turkeys were made poultry the indigenous inhabitants of the American continent are the Indians. In the 16th century, turkeys were brought to Europe. The bird interested breeders due to its impressive size and volume of muscle mass. The meat yield of large individuals is up to 80% of the total weight.

Now about 300 breeds of this large bird with dietary meat have been bred. Breeders have identified 3 groups of breeds:

• meat;
• egg-bearing;
• mixed - egg and meat direction.

In addition, there is a division of turkey breeds based on the weight of the adult bird. Turkey breeds weighing up to 9 kg are considered light, up to 18 kg - medium, 25 kg and more - heavy.

Cross big 6

The largest breed of turkeys, which was bred by English breeders of the British United Turkeys company in 2008, is the cross big 6. Representatives of the breed grow quickly, on average they reach required sizes. The usual weight of the bird is 25 kg for males, individual specimens can grow up to 40 kg. Females are raised to 10-11 kg; further feeding is considered irrational. At 100 days of age, a bird of this breed stops gaining weight.

The turkey breed has snow-white lush plumage with a small black spot on the chest. The soft down of this breed is highly valued. Birds have a wide chest, large wings, and a small head. The legs are long, the paws are yellow. Earrings and beard should be bright scarlet.

Egg production – 105 eggs per life cycle. High hatchability. Adult birds rarely get sick. Meat productivity is a record – 80% per carcass. This is a very popular breed in our country, which is often used for home breeding.

Cross Butte 8

The Bute 8 cross breed is also a product of British United Turkeys. It belongs to the heavy and medium-sized type of turkey meat breeds. Adult males weigh 25-27 kg, females weigh 10 kg on average. Birds mature over a period of 5 months.

The plumage of the birds is white throughout the body, without colored patches. The head and neck are gracefully curved, the beard is red. The breed is not very common in domestic poultry farming.

Moscow bronze

A breed of turkeys of Russian origin, distinguished by the beauty of their colors and endurance, is called the Moscow Bronze. It is suitable for growing in poultry farms and private backyards. The bird adapts to both pasture conditions and closed cages.

One female produces 80-90 eggs per year. The size of the birds is average, the male reaches 19 kg, the female – 9-10 kg. The slaughter age begins at 4-5 months. A characteristic feature of the breed is the beautiful plumage of birds. The feathers are black, brown and white with a pearlescent tint. The birds' wings are decorated with bronze-white stripes. The chest is wide, the body is elongated. The head is white, the beard is red. The skin color of birds of this breed is dark, which reduces the presentation of the carcasses.

White Moscow

Domestic breeders by crossing Dutch, white and Beltsville turkeys obtained a very productive White Moscow breed. The main characteristic that captivates beginners in cultivation is its unpretentiousness and quick adaptation to living conditions. Young animals are hardy and grow to slaughter age with virtually no losses. The breed is adapted to pasture rearing and feels good in the cold season.

The bird's feathers are white without any inclusions; the head, beak, and beard are bright pink or red. The breed is in many ways similar in quality to the Moscow Bronze, but surpasses it in egg production and meat quality. Turkeys grow 13 kg, turkeys - 7 kg. The breed lays up to 140 eggs per cycle. The meat is pink in color and always turns out tender and lean.

Hybrid converter

Large birds of this breed are distributed throughout the world. They were first bred in Canada as an industrial breed of turkeys with excellent meat taste. By five months, males reach a weight of 20-22 kg, and females - 10-12 kg. After another four months, the females begin to lay eggs. However, the egg production of this breed is low - only 40-50 eggs per year.

They are muscular and agile birds with white plumage and a small red head. Individual male hybrid converters can be very large - up to 30 kg. At slaughter, up to 80-85% of the meat from the total weight of the carcass is released. Other useful qualities of the breed: endurance and good adaptation to growing conditions.

Bronze broad-breasted

American breeders, by crossing wild turkeys and the black English breed, created the bronze broad-breasted breed of turkeys. The birds have dark plumage with a green tint. The tail is a thin beige-brown stripe with a bright black-beige wide edge. The thoracic region of turkeys is highly developed, which influenced the name of the breed. Females are distinguished by a light spot on their chest.

The breed belongs to the egg-laying group. The female is capable of laying up to 120 eggs, almost all of which are fertilized. Females have a strong maternal instinct; they can hatch both their own and other people’s eggs and carefully care for the young.

Adult turkeys weigh 15-16 kg, turkeys - 10 kg. Birds are immune to various diseases, but are not adapted to grazing.

Bronze North Caucasus

The breed was obtained in 1946 in the Stavropol region by Soviet breeders and was recognized and widespread in the republics of Central Asia. The bronze North Caucasian breed of turkeys quickly gains weight, is distinguished by its endurance and unpretentiousness to feed. In the first month, the young already weigh 4 kg. Adult males reach 12-15 kg at the time of slaughter, females – 8-9 kg.

The body of the birds is elongated, the legs are long. The chest is wide, so the carcasses contain up to 25% white meat. The plumage of the males is very impressive. Black and brown feathers have a golden and bronze tint. The large fan-shaped tail is decorated with wide black matte stripes, interspersed with light brown sectors. Females look more modest, the feather pattern resembles a gray pied hen.

Turkeys grow well on pasture rearing. Females lay 80-100 eggs per year. The skin of young turkey poults has a purple tint, so it is not customary to slaughter young turkeys for sale.

Cross station wagon

The cross-universal broiler turkey breed was obtained in the Caucasus region Russian Federation. This unpretentious breed is perfect for private households.

The cross station wagon is classified as an egg-laying breed of turkeys, despite the fact that the birds have an average ability to lay eggs. Females produce 60-70 eggs per year, but their fertilization rate is high - up to 90%. The survival rate of chicks is also high - 98-99%.

An adult bird weighs on average 17 kg (turkeys) and 10 kg (turkeys). The breed is economical in feed consumption. The plumage of the birds is white, the wings are large, the legs are long.

Fawn

The breed belongs to the mixed egg-meat type. It was developed in Uzbekistan. The fawn turkey is adapted for life in southern latitudes and is widespread in the Caucasus and Central Asia. The size of the birds is average, males reach a weight of 12 kg, females - 6-7 kg.

The feather color of the breed is always red, ranging from light brown to beige. The bird grows slowly and gains weight. Feels better when free-range. Egg production is up to 60 pieces per year. The survival rate of chicks is low, no more than 65%.

Blue

The blue turkey breed has another name - “slate”. This is a rare breed for our country. It can only be found in nurseries and isolated private farmsteads. The breed is considered decorative for most poultry farms, because even adult males barely reach 5 kg in weight.

An attractive side of the Blue breed is the unusual coloring of the birds, which can range from a soft blue tint (standard) to dark gray (culling). Interspersed with other colors indicate a non-purebred origin. Many blue breed breeders note increased sensitivity and sickness in birds.

Abroad, turkeys are bred not for meat, but as a pet, like parrots. Blue turkeys bond quickly with people and have a playful nature.

Chicken breast for adherents of a healthy lifestyle is something like the cornerstone of the diet, a mantra that everyone should chant, banishing simple ones from the table. We dared to compare chicken breast with turkey breast and studied the meat of these birds along and across the grain.

Calorie content

Putting my hand on the brisket, the difference in calorie content between the two birds is not that significant. By replacing a 200 gram piece of chicken with turkey fillet, you will add only 40 kilocalories. You can compensate for them by giving up one third spoon of honey that day! Believe me, you won't even notice such a sacrifice. By the way, calorie content is indicated for boiled meat. You don't fry, do you?

The nutritional value	Chicken fillet	Turkey fillet
	23,1	25,0
	1,2	1,1
Carbohydrates	0,0	0,0
Calorie content	110 kcal	130 kcal

Squirrels

Do you meticulously calculate the amount of protein even in a bunch of dill? Then the following news will please you. 100 grams of turkey contains 2 grams more than chicken. On our 200 gram piece you'll gain 4 grams of protein. Not such a clear victory, in our opinion.

Fats

Turkey has slightly less saturated fatty acids than chicken, and the total amount is slightly lower. But, in our opinion, there is no win here either.

Assimilation

And here is the first knockdown. In addition to the fact that there is more protein in turkey than in chicken, it is even better absorbed due to large quantity methionine. Moreover, the amino acid composition of turkey meat is more valuable for humans than chicken meat. This is why turkey meat is considered more dietary - it is quickly digested and does not give a feeling of heaviness.

Allergen

Turkey meat is the only meat that does not cause allergies. A dubious advantage, because chicken fillet is not a citrus fruit; allergies to this harmless product are extremely rare.

Taste

We find the taste of turkey richer than chicken. But this is most likely due to its rarity. The hard-to-find fruit is sweet. Or rather, sour: turkey meat gives off a pleasant sourness. But the taste and color, you understand.

Availability

You can buy chicken almost anywhere. Sometimes, even in the most stunted alimentary, there are one or two packages of chicken breast lying around in the freezer.

Turkey is harder to come by.

The most turkey store is Penes Moldova, a branch of the only Romanian turkey producer “Galli Gallo”. The guys promise fresh chilled meat without any additives. Poultry - dressed: you can buy fillet and any other parts separately.

Address: Gheorghe Cosbuk, 13